d devotion, and the
Pledge of the Tree was brought into being. Mahomet felt the significance
of their loyalty very deeply. It was the first oath he had enjoined upon
the Believers since the days of the Pledge of Acaba long ago when he was
but a persecuted zealot fleeing before the menace of his foes. He was
glad because of this proof of loyalty, and his joy finds expression in
the Muslim Book of Books:

"Well pleased hath God been now with the Believers when they plighted
fealty to thee under the tree; and He knew what was in their hearts;
therefore did He send down upon them a spirit of secure repose, and
rewarded them with a speedy victory."

But rumour, as ever, proved untrustworthy, and before long Othman
returned with the news that the Kureisch were undisposed to battle, and
later they sent Suheil of their own clan to make terms with Mahomet,
namely, that he was to return to Medina that year, but that the next year
he might come again as a pilgrim during the sacred month, and having
entered Mecca perform the Pilgrimage. Ali was commanded to write down the
conditions of the treaty, and he began with the formula:

"In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful."

Suheil protested, "I know not that title, write, 'In Thy Name, O God.'"

Mahomet acquiesced, and Ali continued, "The Treaty of Mahomet, Prophet of
God, with Suheil ibn Amr," but Suheil interrupted again:

"If I acknowledged Thee as Prophet of God I should not have made war on
thee; write simply thy name and the name of thy father."

And so the treaty was drawn up. The traditional text of it is simple and
clear, and the only point requiring comment is the clause providing for
the treatment of those who go over to Islam and those of the Believers
who rejoin the Kureisch. Mahomet was sure enough of himself and his
magnetism to allow the clause to stand, which allowed any backslider full
permission to return to Mecca. He knew there would not be many, who
having come under the spell of Islam would return again to idolatry. The
text of the treaty stood substantially in these terms:

"In thy Name, O God! These are the conditions of peace between Mahomet,
son of Abdallah and Suheil, son of Amr. War shall be suspended for ten
years. Whosoever wisheth to join Mahomet or enter into treaty with him
shall have liberty to do so; and likewise whoever wisheth to join the
Kureisch or enter into treaty with them. If one goeth over to Mahomet
without permission o